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REPRINTED BY PERMISSION OF THE 

NORTH AMERICAN REVIEW 

FROM ITS ISSUE OF SEPTEMBER 1915 



PRACTICAL PAN-AMERICANISM 

BY JOHN BARRETT 
Director-General of the Pan-American Union; formerly U. S. Minister to Argentina, Panama, 

and Colombia 

" Pan- America " and " Pan- Americanism " are to-day 
terms of such vast and potential significance in world affairs 
that every one should be interested in their practical appli- 
cation and interpretation. Affecting vitally the progress 
and prosperity of every American republic and, therefore, 
the welfare of every citizen thereof, they are not to be dis- 
missed as mere concepts of the moment. Although long 
known in the phrase-book of international relations, they 
have an extraordinary present-day meaning which, based 
upon both fact and fancy, appeals alike to the reason and the 
imagination. Not only do they concern directly all the na- 
tions and peoples of North and South America, but indi- 
rectly many of the nations and peoples of Europe and even 
Asia. 

The present and future position, influence, and very exist- 
ence of each of the twenty-one American republics are and 
will be so related to the wise use of the power of Pan- 
America, and the just application of the principle of Pan- 
Americanism, that all patriotic and thinking Americans from 
Canada to Chile should study thoughtfully what Pan- Amer- 
ica and Pan-Americanism mean. The remarkable fact, 
moreover, that the European war is possibly doing more 
than any other influence in history, since the declaration of 
the Monroe Doctrine in 1823, to develop and emphasize Pan- 
American solidarity and community of interest and purpose, 
makes it inevitable that European statesmen must recognize 
as never before this mighty force in the present and future 
of world progress. 

When the Secretary of State of the United States, acting 
under the advice of the President, recently invited the six 
ranking diplomatic representatives of Latin- America : the 



THE NORTH AMERICAN REVIEW 

Ambassadors of Brazil, Chile and Argentina, and the Min- 
isters of Bolivia, Uruguay and Guatemala, to confer with 
him regarding the Mexican situation, the United States Gov- 
ernment engaged in practical Pan- Americanism. It took a 
step forward, which not only attracted the attention of all 
the world and won the approval of all America— judging 
from the almost unanimously favorable comment of the 
Latin- American and United States press— but showed con- 
clusively to the world that purely Pan-American problems 
ought to be settled by the concert of American nations. Such 
action, however, was in no way antagonistic to European 
nations or those outside of the Pan-American Union. It was 
taken just as much for the benefit of their legitimate inter- 
ests and their peoples who reside or do business in American 
countries, as for the corresponding interests and peoples of 
the Americas. In truth, Pan- Americanism, in its correct in- 
terpretation, is in no sense anti-European or anti- Asiatic 
in its policies, purposes and propaganda, but an honest ex- 
pression of the fundamental right of nations having similar 
geographical, historical, political and commercial interests 
and inspirations to act together for their common good and 
protection. Pan -Americanism can be defined in its simplest 
form as the common or concerted action or attitude of the 
twenty-one American republics for the welfare of one or 
more or all of them without infringement of their sover- 
eignty or integrity. 

It may be said that by this invitation the United States 
demonstrated that, while in its sincere efforts to advance 
practical Pan-Americanism it desires all the nations of 
Pan- America to share in the blessings of their individual 
and collective peace and prosperity, it holds the belief 
that they should also share in bearing the burden of troubled 
conditions in any one of them which may react unfavorably 
upon all. By it the United States tangibly recognized the 
growing influence and importance of the other American 
republics and their part and responsibility in the Pan-Amer- 
ican family, which, if neglected or unrecognized by the United 
States, might suggest an attempt at domination or self-estab- 
lished superiority on its part that would perhaps promote 
distrust where confidence is necessary, and might seem to 
deny the equality of interest and responsibility of the other 
republics which their individual sovereignty inherently 
gives them. This action should prove to Mexico and to all 



jip^6&£o 



p. of e- 

MAR M 18 






PRACTICAL PAN-AMERICANISM 3 

Latin- America that the United States Government and peo- 
ple have no sinister designs and plans against the sover- 
eignty and territorial integrity of Mexico or the other 
American republics, but are actuated by the highest humani- 
tarian and fraternal reasons in their efforts to assist in 
evolving tranquility of conditions and stability of govern- 
ment in a neighboring republic and among a nearby suffering 
people. 

Even if this present effort at Pan-American co-operation 
shall fail to accomplish all that may be expected of it— for 
at this writing the final results have not been determined- 
such failure would not be more of an argument against the 
wisdom and sincerity of the attempt than would the failure 
of any logical co-operation of neighbors, associates and 
friends to help one of their number who is in dire distress. 
Whether it succeeds or fails, it shows the good intentions of 
the governments concerned. It develops their mutual re- 
sponsibility. It brings them closer together as friends and 
neighbors. There is excellent evidence of this fact in the 
" ABC Mediation " which took place a little over a year 
ago. That concerted effort of three Latin- American Powers 
was supported by the other sixteen in a resolution of the 
Governing Board of the Pan-American Union approved May 
6, 1914, to the following effect: " The Pan-American Union 
applauds and supports the mediation offered by the Govern- 
ments of Argentina, Brazil and Chile through the medium 
of their distinguished representatives for the preservation 
of the peace of the American continent." The effort did not 
result in establishing peace in Mexico, but it accomplished 
more than any other influence in many years to bring the 
American nations closer together and to prove their unself- 
ish desire to aid each other in preserving peace m the Pan- 
American family. The Ambassadors of Brazil, Chile and 
Argentina are entitled to much credit for their long, per- 
sistent, and patient endeavor to bring about directly a set- 
tlement of the differences between the United States and 
Mexico, and indirectly permanent peace in a suffering sister 
nation. History will accord them more honor than has con- 
temporary sentiment. ...... 

In discussing practical Pan- Americanism as shown in the 
co-operation or mediation of the American republics in the 
matter of Pan-American questions, it is interesting to recall 
some notable precedents for such international action. A 



4 THE NORTH AMERICAN REVIEW 

survey of the one hundred years which have passed since 
most of the Latin- American republics gained their independ- 
ence discloses many instances of greater or less Pan-Ameri- 
can co-operation, but mention is made here only of com- 
paratively recent cases. In 1895, when President Cleveland 
sent his famous message to Congress regarding the British- 
Venezuelan boundary dispute, the governments of several 
of the Latin- American republics sent congratulatory reso- 
lutions passed by their Congresses or expressed some official 
satisfaction at his action. In 1906, when President Gomez 
was inaugurated President of Cuba, following the interven- 
tion of the United States, practically all the Latin- American 
Governments, acting in harmony with the United States, 
sent special diplomatic representatives to be present, and 
this signified their sympathy with the United States in its 
unselfish efforts to preserve order and establish permanent 
peace in Cuba. 

In 1907, the notable Central American Peace Conference 
was held in Washington, under the auspices of the Pan- 
American Union. This was attended by official delegates 
from the five Central American Governments, which, in turn, 
invited the United States and Mexican Governments to ap- 
point plenipotentiaries to co-operate with them in reaching 
conclusions and drafting treaties that would prevent wars 
between Central American nations. This co-operation was 
effective, for since then there has been no actual warfare 
between any two or more of the Central American republics, 
although one or two have been disturbed by slight revolu- 
tions, In 1910, when Argentina and Bolivia were somewhat 
at odds over an arbitral award, and Argentina did not see 
fit to extend, or Bolivia to accept, a direct invitation to par- 
ticipate in the Fourth Pan-American Conference, the good 
offices of several Governments brought about a resumption 
of friendly relations. In 1911, when Colombia, Ecuador and 
Peru seemed on the verge of going to war over boundary 
questions, the United States and several Latin-American 
Governments united in making representations which helped 
to prevent an actual conflict. It may also be remembered 
that when, several years ago, negotiations between the 
United States and Chile over the so-called Alsop claim were 
somewhat strained, the informal and friendly suggestions 
of one or two of the Pan-American Governments relieved the 
situation and prevented a possible serious crisis. 



PRACTICAL PAN-AMERICANISM 5 

To point out and summarize some of the principal pres- 
ent-day developments of practical Pan- Americanism, three 
main propositions and facts can be noted as follows : 

I. The most potential and interesting opportunity and re- 
sponsibility before the United States in the realm of foreign 
relations to-day lies in the twenty Latin- American republics 
which extend from Mexico and Cuba south to Argentina and 
Chile. 

II. These republics, in turn, according to the statements 
of their statesmen and newspapers, are more desirous than 
at any previous period in their history to get into closer 
political, commercial, economic, financial and sympathetic 
touch with the United States. 

III. "With the Old "World, including Europe, Asia, 
Africa, Australia, and our own nearby Canada, engaged in 
the most titanic war of all history, the New "World, or Pan- 
America — comprising twenty-one nations at peace with each 
other and inspired by the Pan- Americanism born of common 
purpose and interest — is destined to become the mightiest 
combination and influence for universal peace and good-will 
among nations and men which the world has ever known. 

It is now necessary and fitting, in order to understand this 
remarkable Pan-American situation, to consider and enu- 
merate some of the principal influences and agencies of re- 
cent years which have helped to bring it about. Among 
these the following may be cited: 

1. The unremitting work of education, information and 
propaganda in behalf of peace, friendship, commerce and 
general intercourse among the American republics, carried 
on through many years and in the face at times of serious 
difficulties by the Pan-American Union (formerly known as 
the Bureau of American Republics), the international offi- 
cial organization and office of the twenty-one American re- 
publics, maintained by them in "Washington and controlled 
by a Governing Board made up, by international agreement, 
of the Secretary of State of the United States and of the 
diplomatic representatives of the twenty other republics 
accredited to the United States. 

2. The new and special attention given in late years by 
the State Department of the United States to diplomatic and 
commercial relations with all of the republics of Latin- Amer- 
ica ; and the recent activity of the Government in promoting 
Pan-American trade. 

vol. ecu. — no. 718 27 



6 THE NORTH AMERICAN REVIEW 

3. The visits to Latin- America of high officials of the 
United States Government, especially of Secretaries of State, 
and of other representative statesmen, scholars, editors, writ- 
ers, travelers and business men ; and the activities and efforts 
of an able corps of United States diplomatic and consular 
representatives, military and naval attaches, in the Latin- 
American capitals and principal centers of commerce and 
social life. 

4. The presence in Washington of exceptionally high- 
grade Ambassadors and Ministers, secretaries and attaches 
from all the Latin-American Governments, who, by their 
character, ability, tact, and public utterances have created 
a profoundly favorable impression, and also, as members of 
the Governing Board of the Pan-American Union, have 
wisely advised and inspired its executive officers in the ad- 
ministration of its work for peace, friendship and commerce. 

5. The meeting, at varying intervals, of the great official 
international or Pan-American Conferences, beginning with 
the first, which met in Washington in 1889-90, and including 
the second at Mexico in 1901-2, the third at Rio de Janeiro 
in 1906, and the fourth at Buenos Aires in 1910, which were 
attended by plenipotentiaries from all the republics, and at 
which many Pan-American questions and problems were 
frankly and amicably discussed. 

6. The holding of numerous other official or semi-official 
Conferences, such as the Pan-American Scientific Confer- 
ences, the Pan-American Sanitary Conferences, the Pan- 
American Medical Conferences, the Pan-American Commer- 
cial Conferences, including, in particular, the one which met 
in the Pan-American building in 1911 under the auspices of 
the Pan-American LTnion in response to invitations of the 
Director General, and also its more ambitious successor, the 
Pan-American Financial Conference, which assembled in the 
latter part of May of this year in response to the invitations 
extended by the Secretary of the Treasury of the United 
States; these, in turn, to be followed by the International 
Joint Commission — growing out of the late Financial Confer- 
ence — which will meet in Buenos Aires, Argentina, next No- 
vember, and the second Pan-American Scientific Congress 
which will meet at Washington December 27, 1915-January 
8, 1916. 

7. The extraordinary recent progress of many of the 
Latin- American countries in population, commerce, political 



PRACTICAL PAN-AMERICANISM 7 

influence, peaceful conditions, stability of government, trans- 
portation facilities, education, science, arts and literature 
— a degree of progress which has demanded world-wide at- 
tention and recognition; the growth of great cities and com- 
mercial entrepots among them; their increasing attraction 
for travelers and explorers; the exploitation of their mar- 
velous and limitless agricultural, mining, timber, industrial 
and water-power possibilities; and the rapid evolution in 
some of them of progressive and ambitious peoples seeking 
active participation in world affairs. 

8. The construction and completion of the Panama Ca- 
nal, which, while physically dividing North and South Amer- 
ica, has commercially and politically brought the two con- 
tinents closer together and quickened the interest of the 
world in the countries which can now be reached through 
it; the improvement of steamship and transportation facili- 
ties logically resulting from it; the betterment of sanitary 
and healthful conditions in tropical and subtropical sections 
of Latin- America which were inspired and undertaken as a 
result of the example set and the good accomplished at Pan- 
ama. 

9. The recent widespread attention, which the Pan- 
American Union labored during many years to awaken, now 
being given to Latin- America by Chambers of Commerce and 
Boards of Trade, other commercial, industrial and financial 
organizations, civic societies and literary clubs, universities 
and colleges, newspapers and magazines, books and pam- 
phlets; the almost overwhelming and constantly increasing 
demand on the Pan-American Union, from all parts of the 
world, for every variety of information relating to each 
American republic; the call upon the Latin- American dip- 
lomats and executive officers of the Pan-American Union for 
numerous addresses on Pan-American subjects ; and the pro- 
gressive action of some of the representative banking, man- 
ufacturing, exporting, importing, and shipping firms and 
companies of the United States and Latin- America in for- 
warding Pan-American material development. 

10. The practical results actually accomplished for Pan- 
Americanism through the initiative of the Pan-American 
Union during the last eight and one-half years, as follows : 
(a) the establishment of courses in Spanish (and in some 
instances in Portuguese also) and in Latin- American his- 
tory, geography and natural development, at over 2,000 uni- 



8 THE NORTH AMERICAN REVIEW 

versities, colleges, normal and high schools, academies and 
private educational institutions throughout the United 
States, with corresponding help in the establishment of Eng- 
lish courses among Latin- American colleges and schools; 
(b) the regular acceptance by 1,500 newspapers in the United 
States and 300 in Latin- America of descriptive matter and 
news bulletins relating to the progress of the American re- 
publics; (c) the causing of over 3,000 libraries in the United 
States and many in Latin- America to equip their shelves with 
books relating to the Pan-American countries, based on lists 
carefully prepared by the Columbus Memorial Library of 
the Pan-American Union; (d) the supplying of data and in- 
formation which has caused over 5,000 manufacturers, ex- 
porters, importers, bankers and other business men to in- 
vestigate or develop Pan-American business relations, and 
has resulted in an actual increase of $400,000,000 in Pan- 
American trade ; (e) the providing of information which has 
aided over 6,000 North and South Americans to visit other 
American countries than their own; and (f) the purchase 
of property and the construction of a building for a fitting 
headquarters of the Pan-American Union as an international 
organization and home of practical Pan- Americanism, at a 
cost of approximately $1,100,000, towards which Mr. Andrew 
Carnegie generously contributed $850,000 and the American 
republics $250,000. 

11. Finally, and perhaps, at the moment, most impor- 
tant of all, the three following influences : first, the European 
war, which has demonstrated practically and convincingly 
the interdependence and common interests of the nations and 
peoples of the western hemisphere ; second, the Mexican rev- 
olution, which has brought the United States and its sister 
republics face to face with one of the greatest problems of 
Pan-American peace and fraternity, and has inspired the 
spirit and action of Pan-American mediation and co-opera- 
tion ; and, third, the statesmanlike, unselfish and sympathetic 
interest and attitude of the President of the United States 
in all questions and matters pertaining to the Pan-American 
relations of the United States, which has been appreciated 
throughout Latin-America and reciprocated by the Presi- 
dents of the other American republics. 

Fully to grasp the significance of Pan- America and its 
resulting product, Pan- Americanism, it is necessary to re- 
member what Pan- America represents in area, commerce and 



PRACTICAL PAN-AMERICANISM 9 

population. The combined area of Pan- America, exclusive 
of Canada, is 12,000,000 square miles, of which the Latin- 
American countries occupy approximately 9,000,000 and the 
United States 3,000,000. This physical extent of Pan- Amer- 
ica is better realized when it is compared with that of Europe, 
which has 3,750,000 square miles, with Africa, which has 
11,500,000, and with Asia, which has 17,000,000. 

Remembering that commerce is often described as the 
11 life blood of nations,' ' the Pan-American family certainly 
can be classed as lusty and full-blooded, for, in the last 
normal year before the war, 1913, Pan- America's foreign 
trade, including both imports and exports, was valued at the 
enormous total of, approximately, $7,000,000,000, of which 
the share of the United States was about $4,200,000,000 and 
of the Latin- American countries $2,800,000,000. 

In this connection there should be emphasized strongly 
a fact not generally appreciated, and not in harmony with 
the snap judgment and comment of many superficial students 
of Pan-American trade, or of those who are deluded by the 
impression that only during the last year have American 
business men awakened to the Pan-American opportunity: 
namely, that in the actual exchange of products between for- 
eign countries and Latin-America the United States leads 
all other countries, including Great Britain and Germany. 
In other words, the actual value of the exports and imports 
which the United States exchanged with the twenty Latin- 
American countries in 1913 exceeded $800,000,000. The total 
for Great Britain was $640,000,000; for Germany $410,000,- 
000. These figures covering both exports and imports — for 
that is the only true way to measure foreign commerce — 
should effectively destroy the bogey so frequently stalking 
about, that the United States is far behind the European 
countries in its trade with Latin- America. "While it is true 
that Great Britain and Germany did lead the United States 
in the value of products exchanged with some of the coun- 
tries of South America proper, they were far behind the 
United States in their commerce with all Latin-America, 
which includes all countries from Mexico and Cuba south to 
the Straits of Magellan. 

It is gratifying, moreover, to state that the commercial 
and financial interests of the United States and Latin- Amer- 
ica have, during the past eight years, been responding more 
and more each year to the efforts of the Pan-American Union 



10 THE NORTH AMERICAN REVIEW 

to build up greater trade exchange and closer financial rela- 
tions among the American republics. This is proved beyond 
doubt by the fact that in the period during which the writer 
has served as the executive officer of the Pan-American 
Union, or since 1906, the value of the exports and imports 
exchanged between the United States and the twenty Latin- 
American countries has grown from less than $500,000,000 
to more than $800,000,000. 

Pan- America 's real greatness, significance, and power in 
world relationship are also emphasized by appreciation of 
its present population and the future possibilities for a vast 
increase. Its twenty-one nations can now boast of a popula- 
tion of 180,000,000, of which 100,000,000 are living in United 
States territory and 80,000,000 in Latin-America. 

There are several unfortunate impressions concerning 
Pan-American relations, among those uninformed as to the 
real Latin- America, which should be corrected in order that 
true Pan- Americanism shall not be unfairly hampered in 
its logical development. One is the too prevalent opinion 
about revolutions and armed political disturbances. Despite 
the troubled conditions in Mexico and Haiti which to-day 
tend to distort the vision, two-thirds of the population and 
area of all Latin- America have known no serious revolution 
in thirty years, while it has had so few international wars 
in a hundred years that it can shame Europe's record for 
the past century. There is also the suggestion that all 
Latin-America is opposed to the Monroe Doctrine. But 
what is interpreted as opposition to the Monroe Doctrine is 
not a feeling against the original Doctrine and the condi- 
tions under which it was declared, but against a kind of 
casual interpretation of it in the United States which carries 
the obnoxious intimation that the United States has a 
" holier than thou," a supreme, position among the nations 
of the western hemisphere. Latin-America, as a matter 
of fact, believes in a just and unselfish interpretation of the 
Monroe Doctrine — an interpretation which would make it a 
Pan-American principle or policy, by which all the countries 
of North and South America would stand for the sovereignty 
and integrity of each. 

In this discussion of Pan-America and Pan-American- 
ism, Canada has not been included because she is a part of 
the British Empire, and yet in many respects she is as 
closely associated with the purposes of Pan-Americanism 



PRACTICAL PAN-AMERICANISM 11 

and as dependent upon Pan-American commerce and rela- 
tionship as some of the countries forming the Pan-American 
Union. Some day, and possibly one not too far distant, it 
is probable that Canada will desire to become an active mem- 
ber of the Pan-American Union, or, at least, an honorary 
or corresponding member, so to speak, if that can be ar- 
ranged by international agreement. When that time comes, 
Pan-America, in its broadest possibilities, will include 
twenty-two Governments instead of twenty-one as now, and 
there can be little doubt that Canada herself will become 
as staunch an advocate and friend of practical Pan- Amer- 
icanism as any of the ABC or other Latin- American Powers 
which have participated in Pan-American mediation, or have 
joined in Pan-Ajnerican co-operation and the growing work 
and responsibilities of the Pan-American Union. 




015 828 862 fl # 



THE PAN AMERICAN UNION is the inter- 
national organization and office maintained 
in Washington, D. C, by the twenty-one 
American republics, as follows: Argentina, Bolivia, 
Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Domini- 
can Republic, Ecuador. Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, 
Mexico, Nicaragua. Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Salva- 
dor, United States, Uruguay, and Venezuela. It is 
devoted to the development and advancement of 
commerce, friendly intercourse, and good under- 
standing among these countries. It is supported by 
quotas contributed by each country, based upon the 
population. Its affairs are administered by a Direc- 
tor General and Assistant Director, elected by and 
responsible to a Governing Board, which is com- 
posed of the Secretary of State of the United States 
and the diplomatic representatives in Washington 
of the other American governments. These two 
executive officers are assisted by a staff of inter- 
national experts, statisticians, commercial special- 
ists, editors, translators, compilers, librarians, clerks 
and stenographers. The Union publishes a Monthly 
Bulletin in English, Spanish, Portuguese and French, 
which is a careful record of Pan American progress. 
It also publishes numerous special reports and pam- 
phlets on various subjects of practical information. 
Its library, the Columbus Memorial Library, con- 
tains 30,000 volumes, 15,000 photographs, 100,000 
index cards, and a large collection of maps. The 
Union is housed in a beautiful building erected 
through the munificence of Andrew Carnegie. 



